Lighting fixture



Feb. 10, 1948. GOEBEL 2,435,678

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Feb. 10, 1948. H. GOEBEL LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed 11am, 24, 1944 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 10, 1948 Herman Li GoebeLflhicago, ill, assignor to S teber Manufacturing (30., Chicago,- Ill., a. corporation of Illinois Application January. 24, 1944, Serial Na. 519,467

1 Thisinvention relates to a light fixture Which-is all-'lnelusivev and may be regularly moved from one position to another, and is particularly adaptableafor use on. ships and boats for. loading and unloading cargo in the holds of ships and on the deck; The fixture; of course, may be used advantageouslyat other places and for other uses. The primary object of the present invention is to provideastrong, rugged lighting fixture of the cluster type whereby the electric contacts are properly seal-ed against the weather, are strong and durable, and which can be readily moved or shitted from one" position to another-,1 as well as being adapted for hanging vertically, or inra horizontal: position.-

.Another important object of the invention is to: providea light for the uses andpurposes-set forth-whereby there isa light cluster secured in: a tight, weatherproof manner to the shade or re flector in which the cluster is mounted.

A- further" object of the invention resides in alight fixture of the cluster type wherein the pazts ar attached arid arranged securely in a predetermined position to effect universal appii cationof the mane and toprotect the lamps and the electrical connections.

2!: still: further object is the provision of a new and improved lighting fixture particularly adaptabie for use in connection with cargo-ships or the'likewhereby a strong, durable lighting flictixr is provided to withstand rough usage withoutafiectin'g or damaging the various parts.-

Otfier important objects of the invention reside in the provision of the' particular adaptatiOIi, construction and arrangement of the parts,

the manner of securing the parts in position with respect to arefiector, a new and improved guard to. protect the lamps, new and improved hingedly mounted hanger supports to permit the fixture to be hung in various positions, as well as the particul'ar arrangement and construction of the lighting cluster itself. A

Numerous-other obie'cts and advantages will-be aipl ai'elit tnr ocghdut the ro ress of the renewmgs'pecification. v

The acc'omp flying" drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as" follows:

Fig. I is a detail sectional view of the improved lighting fixnne and embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail bottom plan view; I

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but-on a greatly=enlarged scale to show the e1ec-- trical connections to the light cluster;

Fig; 4 is a detail top plan view' of a modified 2IClaimsr (01. 0 1.12)

form of light: cluster showing the manner in which lamp "sockets: may be secured to the supports-and:

5 is 32 detail sectional view onthe line 5--5 0f'Fi'g:-4', showingxthe manner in which the indi vid-ual light sockets are electrically connected.

The particular lighting fixture herein disclosed for the purpose; of illustrating the invention coinprises a reflector t which is so constructed and arranged to diffuse properly the light rays emitted from thelamps z. The lamps 2 are arranged in a; cluster that is, attached to a unitary element so that the cluster as a whole may be electrically conncctedandsecin ed' properly to the reflector l:. The lamps 2 which: form the cluster are operatively'snpported' by a concaved dish-shaped support or housing 3 which: is providedwith an annular flange 4 for application by means of screws or other fastening-means 5 to a ring 6. The ring 6 is spotwelded1at-1 to anannular ofiset portion 8 iormed on the reflector I. A gasket 9 is interposed betweenthe annular fi-ange 4 and the ring- 6, asclearly-shown in Fig. 3-. The ring 6 may be punched to provide a struck out portion H] which is threaded. to receive threadedly the holding me&1l5-5.:

The'dish shaped element it is provided with a plurality of flattened surfaces l'lhaving openings t2 provided therein, there being as many openings! this there are to be lamps 2. While the drawingsishow four lamps 2, it is to be understood that the construction may be varied to include a greater orlesser number of lamps. Within the dish shaped housing or support 3 there are mounted a-p'luralityof Sockets *3, and these socketc are arrangedt'o engage the inside of the flat Surfaces N,- there being attaching ears It provided on the sockets to receive screws or other fastening means I 5" for locking the individual sockets to their respective flat portions H of the disheshaped menilc'ieriu Each socket I3 is provided with a fleck Hi which is adapted to; extend through itsrespeetivel opening 12 a slight dis- .tanoesot-that when each socket I3 is locked in place by the fastening means l5, the outer face of the s'ock'etis fitted tightly and securely to the fiat part i lvwiitl'r asmaiipart of the socket member extendingia: short distance beyond the outer edge otthe flattencd surface H, sis-indicated at it, Fig. :3. Tlie's'oc'ketsare therefore securely and tightly connected'to the member 3 with the outer facesof the socket tightly and snugly engaging the inside of the fiat surfaces H, the screws or fastning-meansa 15 having their heads extending they may be readily tightened in place from the outside of the member.

The sockets l3 are electrically connected by means of bars or strips I1 and I8. A bar or strip I1 is electrically connected to the screw threaded shell of each socket member l3, Fig. 3, and the other bar or strip I8 is electrically connected to the central contact of each socket member |3,

An electric cable l9, Fig. 3, preferably having an outer rubber sheath and containing the electrical conductors 20, is electrically connected to the bars or strips l1 and I8 so as to supply electric current to each of the sockets l3 and their co-operating lamps 2. I

The shade or reflector includes an upper bellshaped portion 2|, Fig. 3, which is preferably an integral part of the reflector and extends inwardly of the integral flange 8. The bell-shaped portion 2| and the dish-shaped portion 3 provide a compartment of considerable space in which the sockets l3 are mounted and in which all the electrical connections are made.

The cable i3 is connected in a weatherproof manner to the upper fiat surface 22, Fig. 3, of the bell-shaped part 2| of the reflector, there being a locking element 23 to engage snugly the cable l9 and the flat part 22 so as to make a weatherproof connection between the light fixture and the conductor carrying cable |9. The member 23 may comprise a plurality of interlocking and interfitting screw members including a hexagonal part 24 and Weatherproof tightening glands 25 and washers 26. The member 23 is also so constructed and arranged so that tightening thereof securely locks the cable in position and acts as a strain relief, so that when there is any pull on the cable l9 it will not be transmitted to the conductors 20.

A U-shaped bracket or strap 21. is fastened to the upper flat surface 22 of the'bell-shaped member 2| in any convenient manner, such as by welding, This U-shaped member 21 provides oppositely disposed upstanding ears 28, each having a hole 29 through which the ends 30 of a support 3| extend. The ends of the support 3| are bent upwardly as they protrude through the holes 29 so as to provide a swinging or pivotal connection between the support 3| and the U-shaped bracket or strap 21, whereby the lighting fixture may be supported or hung. The support 3| may comprise a single piece of heavy wire or rod material which is bent to provide a circular eye 32. The circular eye 32 is adapted to receive any suitable support for hanging or suspending the fixture.

The U-shaped member 21 is provided with a hexagonal cut-out to form a socket into which the hexagonal part 24 of the member 23 is received, whereby a locking nut 24a may be tightened without causing rotation of the various component parts of the member 23.

oppositely disposed straps 33 may be mounted exteriorly of the body of the shade and these straps 33 support a ring 34, whereby the fixture may be supported or suspended in a horizontal position.

The lower edge of the shade may be flattened to provide a relatively flat integral annular ring or rim 35 entirely about its lower periphery to co-operate with a lamp guard 36. The lamp guard 35 comprises a circular ring 31 made of relatively heavy Wire or thin round bar stock with a plurality of cross wires 38 and 39 welded at their intersection, Fig. 2. The ends of the wires 38 and 39 may be bent around the circular wire 31, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This guard 38 is so 4 constructed that the circular wire 31 will lie against the flat annular surface of the refiector. The guard 33 is hingedly mounted at 40 to the reflector I. This hinged mounting comprises a U-shaped member 4| having its ends bent in the form of hooks 42 to receive the circular wire 31. A member 43, Fig. 2, is secured to the circular wire 31 and fits in between the legs of the member 4| so as to prevent creeping movement of the guard with respect to the lamp shade. By the use of the hinged member 4| the guard 36 is hingedly connected to the bottom of the shade The guard 36 is locked to the shade by means of locking members 44 spaced 120 degrees apart.

Each locking member 44 comprises a U-shaped member 45 having its legs extending downwardly, the U-shaped member being rigidly connected to the flattened annular rim portion 35 of the shade. The downwardly extending legs of the U-shaped member 45 are adapted to straddle the circular wire 31, and a set screw 46 passes through the legs of the U-shaped member below the lower edge of the circular wire 31 so as to lock the circular wire 31 between the thumb screw 46 and the attached U-shaped member 45. The thumb nut and its engagement with the spaced legs of the member 45 is such that upon loosening the thumb screw a sufiicient distance the guard 36 may be swung outwardly on its hinge 45. It is desirable that the wing screw 45 extend inwardly so as to prevent any parts extending beyond the periphery of the shade.

In the modification shown in- Figs. 4 and 5 the cluster assembly may comprise a dish-shaped member 53 having spaced flat portions 5| for the socket members 52. The socket members'may be of a two-part construction whereby the threaded shell 53 is secured to the inner part 54 of the socket member. The exteriorly threaded shell 53 extends outwardly through the openings provided in the member 50, and an exterior, internally threaded member 55 has threaded engagement with the outside of the shell 53 so that when the member 55 is screwed on the outside of the shell it will lock the two parts 54 and 55 together against the member 55, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The socket members 52 are electrically connected by rods or bars 56 and 51, Fig. 5. Electrical conductors, not shown, are electrically connected to the bars 55 and 51 for supplying electric current to the socket members in which light globes 2 threadedly engage. A washer element 58 may be inserted between the two parts 54 and 55, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to provide a tight joint between each socket member and its supporting dish-shaped member 59, Figs. 4 and 5.

The invention provides an efficient and rugged light element adapted for rough usage, and particularly to provide light for loading and unload ing cargo on ships and boats. The device is adapted to be readily assembled and economically manufactured. The parts are so' constructed that they will withstand rough usage without becoming damaged, and all the parts are properly prohereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

' The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An electric light fixture comprising a refiector member at its lower end and a bell-like member at its upper end, the two members being integrally connected by an annular flange, a ring welded to the said flange, a dish-shaped member having a peripheral flange located below the said ring, fastening means passing through said flanges and ring'to make a watertight connection, said bell-like member and said dish-shaped member providing an interior chamber, socket members arranged in said chamber and fastened to the dish-shaped member, a conduit carrying cable passing through the bell-like member and electrically connected to the sockets, and a waterproof strain relief member connected to the upper end of the bell-like member and clampingly engaging the cable.

2. An electric light fixture comprising a refiector portion at its lower end and a bell-like portion at its upper end, the two portions being integrally connected by an annular flange, a ring welded to the said flange, a dish-shaped member having a peripheral flange located below the said ring, fastening means passing through said flanges and ring to make a watertight connection, said bell-like portion and said dish-shaped member providing an interior chamber, socket members arranged in said chamber and fastened to the dish-shaped member, a conduit carrying cable passing through the bell-like 6 portion and electrically connected to the sockets, a. waterproof strain relief member connected to the upper end of the bell-like portion and clampingly engaging the cable, a bracket mounted on the bell-like portion, and a swinging support connected to the bracket, said bracket having a multi-sided recess formed therein, and said strain relief having'a corresponding shaped part receivable in said recess.

HERMAN L. GOEBEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

